The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1887-04-07
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Estcssns22 4 IeglEs an ! Is known to have
H3lx11asHa ZEiIk been familiar to the
Persians. ihe Jews originally used tho
eggs at Purim, the festival of Esther, a
recollection OF the Persian captivity. The
change from Esther to Ester, on account
OF the odI coincidence OF sounds, II not
able.
20 far has this European observance i'm.
pressed our customs that we find Good
Friday legal holiday in Florida, Louisl-
ana, Minnesota and Pennsylvania In
Paris the boulevards arc thronged with
Fridays dcvotees. In London customs
three hundred years old are still kept up
At All-Hallows Church, Lombard street,
the sixty youngest scholars Of Christ's
Hospital each receive penny and bag of
raisins. At the Church Of st. Bartholo-
new the Grand, in Smithfeld, twenty-one,
widows pick up a sixpence from fat
tombstone. The origin Of this ceremony Is
entirely obscured in the ages.
With all Europe, AMI the Catholic, Epis
copal aud Lutheran churches in America
prepared for the celebration, we now come
upon Easter Sunday, the donstsic0 aaudii
the Sunday Of JOY.
This Paschal Day is tho greatest celebra.
ton that ever takes place in Russia, out.
side OF coronation. Little business is
done for week in European capitals. Tho
Pope is carried to st. Peters, where ha
celebrates one of his three yearly masses,
Silver trumpets are sounded, and the Pom
tiff, from the balcony 4 St Peters. blesseS
the multitude. Tie doms Of the greatest
church is illuminated. Fireworks arc
burned the next day. The floral decora-
tons of the fashionable Partisan churches
are said TO be the finest in the world.
Easter is well called ss.ho great Eab4
BATH The watch meetings which Protest.
ants hold New Years eve are survival
of the great Easter vigil, when the people,
stayed awake until daylight, and then ran,
shouting in their joy: "The Lord - riscnE
Truly has HI arisanw
There is. in favor of wider American
observance of Elster-tlde, the fact that
we work too hard, an have too few holi-,
days The Puritans, fearing the influence,
OF "Popery," were at first unwilling We
should have Christmas, and gave US only,
Thanksgiving, in all the year. We need
this spring-tlme season Of joy, or we shall
lose even the advantages Of our pagan,
predecessors a. the dawn Of history.
1t is q festival that is well calculated to
deepen our spirituality and make us true
worshipers, and to mako us-we, who are
proud-swcet and conpanionable, and we
who are selfish and arbitrary, consider
ate Of others.
Last year explosives were put in tho
candles OF church at Madrid The Anar-
chists, as rule, seem to contemplate our
great festivals as days on which it is easy
to create popular disturbance. But let US
hope that, Ike our beautiful American sea-
son of Christmas, the commcmoratlon I
Chrisl's resurrection from the dead may
carry forward the aspirations Of peace on
earth, good will to men.
A citizen who reads an American news
paper every week can no longer be called
| provincial. A great worli's holiday is at
hand. We have, perhaps, trespassed on
the readers patience, but not on lis rights,
! in bringing before him some impression Of
that holidays history, Importance and sig
! nifcance. john McGoyERN